FIVE fast fact that tell the REAL story behind my FIVE years as a Dentist in Richmond BC

This past weekend my team, my family and I celebrated Harmony Dental Studio being open for 5 years.

It is a true milestone in my life as well as my profession. Instead of recounting my entire journey, here are the ‘five fast facts’ about my life and the practice in the past half-decade.

1. I started from scratch. That means zero patients. Most of the time a dentist will purchase a practice and take over another dentists’ patients and start to manage their care. I knew that starting from the ground up would be more work. My vision for how I provide oral care is a very personal approach and I knew that it would be very hard to change an existing practice to my beliefs. What I did not appreciate was how much my new patients would mean to me. I spend time with them, care for them and their teeth. I feel like my practice is full of my friends, my new community.
2. I continued to work in White Rock for the first 2 years of opening Harmony. I have now been a dentists for 9 years and a dentist in Richmond for 5 years, but at that time with only 3 years of practice behind me I was taking a huge leap. My daughter was 9 months old when I opened the clinic and I continued back in my previous associateships. Leaving my employment at another office was both the scariest and most liberating experience.
3. My husband did the renovation to open the practice. Many people ask about his finishing work and it is no secret that I am very proud of the space. When kids pick a prize out of our treasure chest it is sitting on his grandfather’s toolbox and his initials are carved into the top.
4. The growth of the practice has helped me find my own passion within the profession of dentistry. After seeing the needs of the community and pursuing areas of dentistry I am passionate about I have the pleasure of treating some amazing people and changing lives. I now place implants to replace missing teeth and stabilize dentures, restoring function and comfort. This in combination with my esthetic work is the focus of a lot of my clinical time, challenging and rewarding work. Plus I like the hugs!
5. I needed help. A lot of help. Every step of the way in every aspect of my life and practice. The support of my family, colleagues and patients has seen me to this moment. I needed to learn a lot about business (I still have much to learn!) and have had coaching to help me. I didn’t like asking for help and I still struggle with it, but maybe I’ll figure that one out over the next five years.